The school had to be in California, it had to have her major and it had to have coaches and teammates she enjoyed being around.

After making her second visit to campus, Xepoleas determined USC best fit every criteria.

The Huntington Beach resident verbally committed to the Trojans last week, and she will join the program in 2015.

"I knew it was the place for me so I just committed now," Xepoleas said. "I feel great that I made the decision, and now I can get to learn more about the girls on the team and get to know the coaches better."

Xepoleas had also considered UCLA, Stanford and Loyola Marymount, but the blue-chip recruit believed USC provided everything she wanted for her future in tennis and beyond.

Xepoleas wants to be a screenwriter, and USC's School of Cinematic Arts offers a bachelor of fine arts in writing for screen and television.

At the tender age of 16, Xepoleas has already written a novel.

"It's like a science fiction about the future and the apocalypse, but with a biblical turn on it," she said. "I think it's going to be called Eden Island."

Xepoleas reserves the time period from 8-9 p.m. each night for writing. She actually attempted to write her first novel at age 11, but she stopped after 200 pages.

"Ever since then I kept on trying and finally finished one," she said. "I might try to get it published, but I have to edit it first. It's the first draft really right now."